2 Kings 19:8

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

¶ So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Rav-Shakeh returned and, having heard that the king of Ashur had left Lakhish, found him making war with Livnah.

Berean Standard Bible:

When the Rabshakeh heard that the king of Assyria had left Lachish, he withdrew and found the king fighting against Libnah.

American Standard Version:

So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah; for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

So Rabshakeh^{H7262} returned^{H7725}, and found^{H4672} the king^{H4428} of Assyria^{H804} warring^{H3898} against Libnah^{H3841}: for he had heard^{H8085} that he was departed^{H5265} from Lachish^{H3923}.

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Commentary for 2 Kings 19:8

2 Kings 19:8 is a verse set within the broader narrative of the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah. The historical context is the late 8th century BCE, a period marked by Assyrian expansion and dominance in the ancient Near East. The Assyrian Empire, under Sennacherib, had been systematically conquering and subjugating the kingdoms of the region, including the Northern Kingdom of Israel and various cities within the Southern Kingdom of Judah, such as Lachish.

The verse specifically mentions Rabshakeh, a high-ranking official in the Assyrian army, who had been sent to Jerusalem to demand its surrender. His arrogant and blasphemous speech to the people of Jerusalem, recorded in the preceding chapters, challenged their faith in God and mocked the idea that Egypt or their deity could save them from Assyrian might.

In 2 Kings 19:8, after delivering his message, Rabshakeh returns to find that Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, has shifted his military campaign from Lachish, which had recently fallen, to Libnah, another Judahite city. This detail underscores the relentless Assyrian military machine, constantly on the move, conquering city after city. The verse reflects the strategic movements of the Assyrian forces and the immediate threat they posed to Judah.

Thematically, this verse highlights the precarious situation of Judah amidst a powerful and aggressive empire. It sets the stage for the subsequent prayer of Hezekiah and the divine intervention that follows, where God responds to Hezekiah's plea by sending an angel to decimate the Assyrian army, saving Jerusalem from capture. This event is seen as a profound demonstration of God's power and faithfulness to His people, contrasting with the might of human empires, which, despite their apparent invincibility, are ultimately subject to God's sovereignty.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H7262
   There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רַבְשָׁקֵה
   Transliteration: Rabshâqêh
   Pronunciation: rab-shaw-kay'
   Description: from רַב and שָׁקָה; chief butler; Rabshakeh, a Babylonian official; Rabshakeh.
   
2. Strong's Number: H7725
   There are 952 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שׁוּב
   Transliteration: shûwb
   Pronunciation: shoob
   Description: a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again; ((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, [idiom] certainly, come again (back), [idiom] consider, [phrase] continually, convert, deliver (again), [phrase] deny, draw back, fetch home again, [idiom] fro, get (oneself) (back) again, [idiom] give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, [idiom] needs, be past, [idiom] pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, [phrase] say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, [idiom] surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.
   
3. Strong's Number: H4672
   There are 425 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָצָא
   Transliteration: mâtsâʼ
   Pronunciation: maw-tsaw'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present; [phrase] be able, befall, being, catch, [idiom] certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), [idiom] have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-) on, meet (with), [idiom] occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
   
4. Strong's Number: H4428
   There are 1922 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מֶלֶךְ
   Transliteration: melek
   Pronunciation: meh'-lek
   Description: from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal.
   
5. Strong's Number: H804
   There are 340 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אַשּׁוּר
   Transliteration: ʼAshshûwr
   Pronunciation: ash-shoor'
   Description: or אַשֻּׁר; apparently from אָשַׁר (in the sense of successful); Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e. Assyria), its region and its empire; Asshur, Assur, Assyria, Assyrians. See אָשֻׁר.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3898
   There are 171 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לָחַם
   Transliteration: lâcham
   Pronunciation: law-kham'
   Description: a primitive root; to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle (as destruction); devour, eat, [idiom] ever, fight(-ing), overcome, prevail, (make) war(-ring).
   
7. Strong's Number: H3841
   There are 17 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לִבְנָה
   Transliteration: Libnâh
   Pronunciation: lib-naw'
   Description: the same as לִבְנֶה; Libnah, a place in the Desert and one in Palestine; Libnah.
   
8. Strong's Number: H8085
   There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁמַע
   Transliteration: shâmaʻ
   Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
   Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
   
9. Strong's Number: H5265
   There are 140 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָסַע
   Transliteration: nâçaʻ
   Pronunciation: naw-sah'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e. start on ajourney; cause to blow, bring, get, (make to) go (away, forth, forward, onward, out), (take) journey, march, remove, set aside (forward), [idiom] still, be on his (go their) way.
   
10. Strong's Number: H3923
    There are 22 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: לָכִישׁ
    Transliteration: Lâkîysh
    Pronunciation: law-keesh'
    Description: xlit Lâchîysh corrected to Lâkîysh; from an unused root of uncertain meaning; Lakish, a place in Palestine; Lachish.